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(No Model.)

J. N. TIFFANY. ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT FOR BRAGKET TABLES. No. 493,605.Patented Mar. 14, 1893.

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UNTTE STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

JOHN N. TIFFANY, OF SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOROBERT OROOKETT, OF SAME PLACE.

ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT FOR BRACKET-TABLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 493,605, dated March14, 1893.

Application filed September 23, 1892. Serial No. 446,667. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN N. TIFFANY, of San Diego, in the county of SanDiego and State of California, have invented anew and useful AdjustableSupport for Reading and Writing Tables, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description.

The objects of this invention are to provide a novel convenient andsubstantial support for a small table top or other suitable and likesupport, that is adjustably attachable to a chair or bedstead, for theuse of an occupant of the bed or chair, and which will afford means forholding an open book in position before the reader at any desired angleof inclination, projecting the book support over the bed, or the chairas may be desired. Said table top is also available to sustain writingmaterials, and allow their use by the chair or bed occupant.

To these ends my invention consists in the construction and combinationof parts, as is hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device attached to the side of abedstead shown in part. Fig. 2 is a broken enlarged and partly sectionalside view of the device. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detached perspective viewof a detail of construction. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detached side View ofa washer used on theimproved device; and Fig. 5 is a broken, partlysectional side view of a chair seat and the improvement on it.

There is a standard A, provided, preferably made of pipe having a properdiameter and length for effective service. One end portion a of thestandard is flattened sidewise and tapered edgewise toward the terminal;the edges named being beveled to adapt them to slide into a slottedkeeper bracket plate B, that is dovetailed and tapered in said slot, soas to retain the standard in an upright position, when the plate isattached upon the side rail O of a bedstead as indicated in Fig. 1. Apreferably circular collar 1) is integrally formed upon the upper end ofthe standard A, and is perforated through its body edgewise and screwthreaded therein for the introduction of a set screw 1). Within thehollow standard A, a sliding post A, is introduced which loosely fitstherein, havinga loose collar 0,10- cated upon it, which is furnishedwith an adjustable set screw 0'. At the upper end of the post A, anintegral or affixed limb d, projects ata right angle, and is fiat andadapted to sustain a similarly shaped swing plate 6, on its uppersurface. The limb and swing plate are perforated in alignment near theouter end of the same, to receive a boltf, which has its body squarednear the head, as atf', in Fig. 2, the hole in the swing plate beingshaped to receive this part of the bolt Which will be locked fromrotation when inserted. From the portion f of the boltfits body iscylindrically formed, of a diameter to loosely engage the circularperforation in the limb d, and is screw threaded of a proper length fromthe end of said cylindric body to receive the winged nut g. Two similarwashers h are slid upon the bolt bodyf, so as to embrace the limb d, asshown in Fig. 2,when the nut g is adjusted to press on one of saidwashers; and by preference the apertures in the washers have a flatplace h in each, that will engage a flat side of the bolt body when inplace, and prevent the rotation of the washers thereon.

At the end of the swing plate (2, an integral arm e, is formed, whichprojects at a right angle therefrom above the post A; and parallel withthe arm named, an abutment ear 1 is formed on the plate, a properdistance intervening between said members to receive another part whichwill be described. The upper end portion of the arm e is perforated in adirection toward the ear i, and above it, which hole is square toreceive the squared part of a bolt m, which part is formed thereonadjacent to its head which bears upon the outer surface of the arm whenthe bolt is inserted, its remaining portion being cylindrical andthreaded toward the opposite end for engagement of the threaded nut m.

The part D, which is sustained by the bolt m, consists of a plate ofmetal bent at 17., into L form, producing a depending limb from whichoppositely project the members m at its free end; these integralportions of the limb being upwardly curved, and the lower edge of thesame curved to conform with the curvature of the parts m thus producinga rocker formation on the depending part of the piece D, that todistinguish it is termed a rocker plate. The portion of the rocker plateD, which extends laterally from the upper end of its limb, is furnishedwith opposite wing pieces m, that are designed to increase its width ata proper point, and the end portion which projects beyond said wings, islongitudinally slotted as at m, in Figs. 2 and 3. The depending limbhaving the members 711 is perforated as at m in Fig. 3, to receive thebolt m, two washers n embracing it, these being strung upon the boltbody so as to bear upon the limb at each side, the nut m pressing on onewasher when the parts are assembled. The arm 6' is integrally thickenedat a point opposite the ear 2', thereby producing a boss that isperforated and internally threaded to receive the thumb screw 2" whichwill be adapted to bear upon the adjacent side of the limb on the plateD near its lower edge, or on either of its members m as maybe requiredin service.

There is a preferably rectangular slab E of wood or other suitablematerial provided, which is of such a thickness as will render itsubstantial, and sufficient in area for convenient use, which piece isdesigned to afford support for a book or become a writing table, or forany other desired purpose. The table ,top E, is reinforced on its lowerside, by a metal plate 0, which is secured in place with screws or likemeans, and from its lower surface at a proper point a stud 1) projectsdownwardly, which stud is designed to have asliding engagement with theslot at of the rocking plate D.

\Vhen all the described parts are assembled as herein bcfore explained,the completed device will appear as shown in Fig. 1, the table top E,extending over the bed whereon the standardA is removably supported. Andit will be seen that an adjustment for height given to the collar 0,will retain the structure above it at any preferred elevation over thebed and free to swing horizontally, the thumb screw b when inwardlyadjusted securingthe post A to the standard A, so as to prevent itsrotation. If the table top E, is to be made to incline toward a personoccupying the bed, this can be eifected by loosening the screw 1", andtilting the top into adesired plane, which can be maintained if thescrewis again tightened so as to bear on the member m it is opposite.The swing plate 6 may be partly or entirely rotated upon the boltf, andbe clamped at any point of such adjustment by the nut g; and in case itis desired to retain -the plate e and post-limb din parallel planes, aknob d on the plate e, is made to enter a socket or cup in the limb d,before the nut g, is screwed toward the limb, which nut when tightened,will bind the parts d 6 together and lock the latter against swingingmovement.

In Fig. 5, is shown a means for removably attaching the standard A andsliding post A, upon a chair seat G. To this end, the standard is bentat r, so as to produce a horizontal arm on its lower portion, thebracket plate B, beingin this case secured on thelower side of the chairseat, so that the standard may he slid into the dovetail slot of thebracket plate B, and thus support the post A in a vertical position, allthe other parts of the device being constructed as before described.

It will be evident that if the table top-E, is sustained alongside of achair seat by the specified means, it may be given any requiredadjustment so as to locate it conveniently for the support of a book orwriting material, or any other necessary article, before or at one sideof an occupant of the chair.

When not in use, the form of construction of the novel support willpermit it to be packed together in a compact manner, so that but littleroom will be taken up, and when needed the parts can be quickly puttogether for service.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. The combination with a supporting post, of a tabletop on said post, arocking platesecurable to said table top and having adepending limb, and a device on the upper end of the post adapted foradjustment in ahorizontal plane and also adapted to support andadjustably secure the limb of the rocking plate at any point of rockingadjustment for the attached table top, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a hollow standard, a post sliding in saidstandard, a set screw in the upper end of the standard, a loose collaron the post, a set screw in said collar, a dovetailed tapering footpiece on the lower end of the standard, and a bracket plate having adovetail slot to receive the foot piece and adapted for attachment to abed or chair, and a lateral limb on the 'upper end of the post, of aswing plate pivoted on the outer end of the post limb, an upright arm atthe other end of said swing plate, a spaced ear on the swing plate, aset screw in the arm of the swing plate opposite said ear, a rightanscribed.

JOHN N. TIFFANY. Witnesses:

ADAM R. WEIR, CHARLES YEAKLE.

